Egypt’s FM addresses bilateral ties, regional issues with African counterparts during TICAD meetings

CAIRO – 24 August 2024: Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs Badr Abdelatty met with Robert Dussey, Togo's Minister of Foreign Affairs, during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).

Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, reported that Abdelatty highlighted the historical ties between Egypt and Togo, both officially and at the popular level.

Abdelatty emphasized the need to enhance cooperation between the two countries across various fields, particularly in increasing trade exchange.

The Egyptian Minister highlighted the potential of the Egyptian private sector to meet Togolese market needs with high-quality Egyptian products at competitive prices and to participate in infrastructure projects. He also expressed Egypt's desire to finalize the registration and introduction of Egyptian medicine in Togo, aiming to supply affordable medicines and medical supplies.

The spokesperson added that Abdelatty discussed recent developments in the Horn of Africa, Libya, and Sudan. He also outlined Egypt's efforts to calm the situation in the Gaza Strip, address regional escalation, and provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Abdelatty stressed the importance of finding a permanent and just resolution to the Palestinian issue, advocating for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Ambassador Abu Zeid further noted that Abdelatty underscored the importance of enhancing joint coordination on regional and international issues. The meeting highlighted the need for unified African positions in international forums and agreements on supporting nominations for regional and international roles.

The Togolese Foreign Minister shared insights on the latest developments in the Sahel and West Africa, focusing on security threats and the rise of terrorist organizations.

He outlined Togo's comprehensive approach to achieving stability and improving security in the Sahel and expressed interest in creating cooperative frameworks between the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development and the Lomé Development Forum to address risks to peace, security, and stability on the continent.

Meeting with Benin’s counterpart

On the sidelines of the TICAD meetings, the Egyptian Foreign Minister met Olushegun ADJADI BAKARI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Benin, in Tokyo, on Saturday, said Abu Zeid in another statement.

Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s appreciation for its longstanding relations with Benin, which began in 1973. He emphasized Egypt’s commitment to deepening and enhancing these relations to reflect the strong ties between the two nations.

The Egyptian Minister proposed strengthening existing cooperation frameworks and holding regular political consultations. He also highlighted Egypt’s interest in boosting economic cooperation and trade with Benin, leveraging Egypt’s experience in key sectors such as construction, infrastructure, housing, electricity and renewable energy, tourism, digitalization, pharmaceutical manufacturing, mining, and agricultural processing.

Recent visits by Egyptian private sector companies to Benin were mentioned as part of this effort, Abu Zeid continued.

The two ministers discussed several regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the challenges in the Sahel and West Africa, particularly regarding security and development. They reviewed Egypt’s efforts related to the Gaza Strip, the ongoing regional escalation, the crisis in Sudan, and the situation in Libya.

Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s readiness to share its experience in counterterrorism with Benin, including a comprehensive approach that addresses security, development, and extremist ideologies. He affirmed Egypt’s support for Benin in its fight against terrorism and highlighted the importance of regional security and stability, noting its impact on neighboring countries, including Benin, and its relevance to Egypt's strategic environment.

In response, the Beninese Foreign Minister expressed his country’s eagerness to strengthen cooperation with Egypt across various fields and to benefit from Egyptian expertise. He stressed the importance of implementing existing memoranda of understanding and cooperation programs, and praised Egypt’s training programs through the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, as well as scholarships provided by Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Ministry of Higher Education.